Junior Member
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 35
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 35
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triggering tn by scratching inside ear
I have had tn for most of my life - it started when I was teenager, about 25 years ago. It is not chronic - it is sporadic. Sometimes it lasts for a few hours, sometimes a couple of days, and once for three weeks. I also sometimes go for long periods of time with no episodes. It is agony every time I get it, and I live in fear of getting it. I take tegratol when I do get it, and this sometimes works.
I have always tried to figure out what my triggers are. I have a couple of things that seem to be linked (plane trips, bike helmets/tight sunglasses) but the one thing I have definitely linked is scratching the inside of my ear. What I mean by that is inserting finger (or Q-tip) into ear and scratching. I tend to have very itchy ears and unfortunately it took me a number of years to figure this out. Even now and then when I am not thinking I catch myself doing it but then quickly stop.
Anyway, my question is if this is a normal trigger? And why? In my lay person's understanding, it seems that perhaps I have accidentally put pressure on the nerve, but I really don't know.
Any thoughts or comments?
I appreciate it!
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